Custom walking canes how to#
Custom walking canes full#

Otherwise you may remove too much material and have an unsightly void. Do not do the final shaping at the joinery end, as you want to assemble the handle and optional collar before your final shaping. Using several different styles of spoke shaves and rasps, I taper the shaft down to the desired shape and thickness. This is used mainly to make spindles for chairs. Your right foot kicks the foot stand to create pressure on the jaw to wedge the piece you are working on in place.

It is an old fashioned system to clamp and work on a piece while sitting. You can use hand tools and/or power tools. You can now begin to remove more wood to shape the shaft. This step helps eliminate excess wood that would otherwise take longer to remove. On the Band Saw, follow the line you marked from the top to bottom, tapering to 7/8' wide and trim off the excess wood that will be the bottom of the cane shaft. Remove shaft from drill press clamp and return to the Band Saw. SUPPLIES & TOOLS NEEDED: Wood for SHAFT: 34-36' Long (with grain) x 1.5 x 1.5' Wood for HANDLE: 6' Long (with grain) x 2' Wide x 1.5' Thick Wood for Collar (optional): 1.5' x 1.5' x 1' Thick Dowels: 4 inches each - 5/8' & 1/4' hardwood Drill Press Forstner Bit: 5/8' Wood Drill Bit: 1/4' Saws: Table Saw & Band Saw or Hand Saws Assorted Wood Files & Rasps (coarse & fine) Electric Sanders (optional): Belt & Disc Sander, Orbital Sander Assorted Sand Paper (36 - 320 grit) Shaving Mule (optional) Spoke Shaves (optional) 50' Wood Clamp Wood Glue or Epoxy Rubber Cane Tip Oil/Polyeurethane Finish Clean Rags & Paper Towels Flying particles and dust can damage your eyes and lungs. Your eyes, lungs, fingers, etc., are irreplacable. SAFETY EQUIPMENT (NOT optional): Eye Protection Ear Protection Dust Mask and Vacuum Dust System Gloves A Note on Safety: If you don't want to lose it, then wear something to protect it.

When using harder, exotic woods such as Bloodwood, Ebony, Padouk, Purpleheart, etc., these will take more effort in shaping and finishing, but the results are extraordinary.

Custom walking canes full#

Just make sure they are never used to support the full weight of a user in need of sturdy support. Do not use soft woods such as Pine, Cedar or Birch as these will not be able to fully support the weight of a person, but for the sake of the project, they would be easy to carve and shape. Oak has too coarse of a grain to my liking and may splinter more readily. These hardwoods are common and the medium/fine grain is easy to work with. I suggest a medium-hard wood such as Cherry, Black Walnut or Maple for the beginner. The harder the wood, the sturdier the cane, but it will also be harder to work with. Your choice of materials can vary as long as they are strong and durable and easy enough to work with. You can make a simple, crudely finished cane in a day or take your time in shaping and sanding and have an elegant art object within a week. The techniques are basic and the better results are in the level of effort you choose to endure. The use of hand and power tools will be shown and in the event you do not have one, you can use the other. If all efforts are successful, the ugly, flimsy common store bought cane will be abolished with a more sturdy, attractive and comfortable cane for those who need one, and just maybe a new interest as a fashion trend will return.

Custom walking canes how to#

My goal here is to show you how to create a sturdy, functional and attractive cane that the user can wear with confidence and pride. The technology of the cane has evolved little in the years of mankind, but the materials are varied and the quality of a cane can be judged by not only the fancy woods or ornamentation, but also the quality of craftsmanship.

Gentlemen and ladies would adorn a cane made from exotic woods, metals and gems to show their wealth and status. A walking stick or cane has been used to assist the aristocratic elite from their high wheeled carriages, as the wheels where some 5 feet tall and were quite shakey when decending or ascending from them, especially when dressed in finery. The cane is not only needed for the aide of assisting one to keep stable, but also has a history of being a fashion statement. Walking canes have been used since early man started to walk about and needed a tool to help him when injured or over trekking over uneven terrain.